Matthew ‘Cuban’ Hernandez is a poet, speaker, and performance coach from Jacksonville, Florida. He has toured as far as Abu Dhabi and nearly every major city in the United States and Europe, performing, teaching and coaching poetry. A teaching artist for nearly ten years, Matthew has spent the last four years working in youth detention centers across Los Angeles County. He has opened for artists such as Wu-Tang and performed for platforms such as BuzzFeed and NPR. Matthew is also a three time Southern Fried poetry slam champion and an award-winning poetry coach. Cuban’s favorite activity is making people feel great; sometimes he does this through poetry.
He has two albums out: Ivanna and Ivanna II. They’re both laced with introspective lyricism, catchy beats, and velvety bars. “Like That” is a track off of Ivanna and it’s exemplary of the work that Matthew strives to deliver.
“Like That” carries a melodious instrumental backed by trumpets and angelic vocals. The smooth beat is reminiscent of old-school hip-hop beats and perfectly complements the quick-hitting lines and discerning lyricism. The oscillating rhythm balances the soundscape for the song’s effective messaging. Matthew reflects on his childhood, how he started rapping, and where he is now, all while effortlessly keeping a measured cadence underneath his agile rhymes. A silky hook ties together the hypnotizing track.
You can listen to “Like That” and the rest of his first album below.
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